French WIM Series event next week
– 12 teams to race in Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan in Vannes
The Women’s International Match Racing Series (WIM Series) welcomes Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan in Vannes to the 2014 schedule. The event was initiated and is organized by double World Champion and multiple world ranking #1, Claire Leroy:
“A handful of Brittany Yacht Clubs have joined forces with the Société des Régates de Vannes for this event, and we’re very proud to be able to welcome some of the best female match racing crews of the world” says Event Organizer Claire Leroy.
“France, with their strong match racing history and vibrant women’s match racing community, makes a stop in the WIM Series imperative” says WIM Series Manager Liz Baylis.
The 2014 season of the WIM Series kicked off in the beginning of June in Cork, Ireland, with the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship. The Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan in Vannes, France, will next week follow as the second event of this year’s series, comprised by five events in Ireland, France, Sweden, USA and Korea. A dozen of the world’s best match racing crews will come to Vannes July 24 – 27, to race each other in Beneteau 7.5:s with asymmetrical spinnakers:
“These French boats have never before been used on the WIM Series, and I’m certain the sailors will find them very exciting” Claire Leroy comments.
“One of the challenges of match racing is the ability of the teams to adapt to different boats, and these boats will definitely challenge the sailors” Liz Baylis adds.
Vannes is a rather small town of 55 000 people in French Brittany, a nice and quiet place where it’s good to live. The legend tells that there are 365 islands, one for each day of the year, in the Golfe du Morbihan. In winter the waters provide heavy storms of 60 to 70 knots, but in summer the thermic winds are warmer and gentler, yet challenging enough. The strong tidal currents of up to nine knots will also put the sailors to test. The “Société des Régates de Vannes” is one of the oldest yacht clubs in France, founded in 1848. The first regatta was run in fishing boats, but nowadays the SRV organizes in the first week of October “The Catagolfe” with 200 sports catamarans, and in June “le Tour Autour du Golfe”, a large dinghy meeting. And now, of course, a stage of the WIM Series. Famous club members of the SRV are Figaro racer Nicolas Lunven, the 1992 Vendée Globe winner Alain Gautier and Daniel Souben, who is racing on Tour de France à la voile.
“We are very excited to be partnering with the experienced Société des Régates de Vannes for the 2014 Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan. Under the watchful eye of two-time World Champion Claire Leroy, the event in Vannes is sure to be a highlight in the match racing calendar” Liz Baylis concludes.
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The 2014 Women’s International Match Racing Series is a professional sailing circuit, hosted by the Women’s International Match Racing Association for the world’s leading women match racing sailors. In match racing the crews meet two by two in exciting duels that can easily be followed and understood by the spectators.
An overall prize purse of 50 000 USD will be distributed by the WIM Series at the final event in Busan, Korea, in addition to the prize money at each of the five events included in the WIM Series (date, event name, location, boat type, prize money):
* June 3-8, ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship, Cork, Ireland, J/80, 17 000 USD.
* July 24-27, Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan, Vannes, France, Beneteau 7.5, 14 000 USD.
* August 4-9, Lysekil Women’s Match, Lysekil, Sweden, DS 37, 50 000 USD.
* September 23-28, Buddy Melges Challenge, Sheboygan, USA, Elliott 6, 10 000 USD.
* October 11-16, Busan Cup Women’s International Match Race, Busan, Korea, K 30, 100 000 USD.
The WIM Series is hosted by WIMRA. Sebago is clothing partner. Official suppliers are Sailnet, 1080 Media, MILK, Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan, Adstream and Match Racing Results Service.
Images: A number of hi-res images are available for download on www.wimseries.com/media/
More information about the Women’s International Match Racing Series:
WIM Series Press Officer Joakim Hermansson, , +46 70 604 25 04
WIM Series Manager Liz Baylis, , +1 415 691 6202
www.wimseries.com
www.facebook.com/WIMSeries
www.twitter.com/WIMSeries
www.youtube.com/WIMRSeries
www.instagram.com/WIMSeries
The Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan is sponsored by Vannes Agglo, Conseil Général du Morbihan, Région Bretagne and Habitat et Humanisme. Official Suppliers are Volvo Pemzec, Tropicana and Pro Marine. Regatta Partners are La Trinitaine, Ker Ronan, Office du Tourisme de Vannes and Vannes.
More information about the Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan:
Press Officer Brice Menay, , +33 643 40 72 09
http://evenements.ffvoile.fr/cfemrf/
